Strange-metal behavior without fine-tuning in PrV2Al20
Abstract
Strange-metal behavior observed in the praseodymium-based heavy-fermion material PrV2Al20 has been tentatively interpreted in the framework of proximity to a quantum critical point (QCP) associated with quadrupolar ordering. Here, we demonstrate that an alternative, natural explanation exists without invoking a QCP, in terms of the unconventional nature of the quadrupolar Kondo effect taking place in non-Kramers ions. Using a combination of ab initio density-functional theory calculations and analytical arguments, we construct a periodic Anderson model with realistic parameters to describe PrV2Al20. We solve the model using dynamical mean-field theory preserving the model symmetries and demonstrate the non-Fermi liquid strange-metal behavior stemming from the two-channel nature of the quadrupolar Kondo effect. Our calculations provide an explanation for the puzzling temperature dependence in the magnetic susceptibility, and provide a basis for analyzing future photoemission experiments.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2312.13366,
title = {Strange-metal behavior without fine-tuning in PrV2Al20},
author = {Marvin Lenk and Fei Gao and Johann Kroha and Andriy H. Nevidomskyy},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2312.13366},
year = {2024}
}
Comments
7 pages, 4 figures in main text; 7 pages, 2 figures in supplementary material. Update: Fig. 2(c) incorrectly processed data was corrected, Fig. 4 was extended and guides to the eye were updated, added various clarifications, including a section about the "open core" DFT method in the supplement